TRV
Translation
King James Version
Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
KJV (with Strong's)
Complete Jewish Bible
He quickly called out to the young man holding his armor, "Draw your sword, and finish me off, so that people won't say a woman killed me." So his attendant ran him through, and he died.
Berean Standard Bible
He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So Abimelech’s armor-bearer ran his sword through him, and he died.
American Standard Version
Then he called hastily unto the young man his armorbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and kill me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
World English Bible Messianic
Then he called hastily to the young man his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword, and kill me, that men not say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ His young man thrust him through, and he died.”
Geneva Bible (1599)
Then Abimelech called hastily his page that bare his harneis, and sayde vnto him, Drawe thy sworde and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slewe him. And his page thrust him thorowe, and he dyed.
Young's Literal Translation
and he calleth hastily unto the young man bearing his weapons, and saith to him, `Draw thy sword, and thou hast put me to death, lest they say of me--A woman slew him;' and his young man pierced him through, and he dieth.
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In the KJVVerse 6,809 of 31,102
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Commentary on Judges 9 verses 50–57
50 ¶ Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.
52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull.
54 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
56 Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
We have seen the ruin of the Shechemites completed by the hand of Abimelech; and now it comes to his turn to be reckoned with who was their leader in villany. Thebez was a small city, probably not far from Shechem, dependent upon it, and in confederacy with it. Now,
I. Abimelech attempted the destruction of this city (Jdg 9:50), drove all the inhabitants of the town into the castle, or citadel, Jdg 9:51. When he had them there he did not doubt but he should do the same execution here that he had lately done at the strong-hold of the temple of Baal-berith, not considering that the tower of an idol-temple lay more exposed to divine vengeance than any other tower. He attempted to set fire to this tower, at least to burn down the door, and so force an entrance, Jdg 9:52. Those who have escaped and succeeded well in one desperate attempt are apt to think the like attempt another time not desperate. This instance was long after quoted to show how dangerous it is to come near the call of a besieged city, Sa2 11:20, etc. But God infatuates those whom he will ruin.
II. In the attempt he was himself destroyed, having his brains knocked out with a piece of a millstone, Jdg 9:57. No doubt this man was a murderer, whom, though he had escaped the dangers of the war with Shechem, yet vengeance suffered not to live, Act 28:4. Evil pursues sinners, and sometimes overtakes them when they are not only secure, but triumphant. Thebez, we may suppose, was a weak inconsiderable place, compared with Shechem. Abimelech, having conquered the greater, makes no doubt of being master of the less without any difficulty, especially when he had taken the city, and had only the tower to deal with; yet he lays his bones by that, and there is all his honour buried. Thus are the mighty things of the world often confounded by the weakest and those things that are most made light of. See here what rebukes those are justly put under many times by the divine providence that are unreasonable in their demands of satisfaction for injuries received. Abimelech had some reason to chastise the Shechemites, and he had done it with a witness; but when he will carry his revenges further, and nothing will serve but that Thebez also must be sacrificed to his rage, he is not only disappointed there, but destroyed; for verily there is a God that judges in the earth. Three circumstances are worthy of observation in the death of Abimelech: - 1. That he was slain with a stone, as he had slain his brethren all upon one stone. 2. That he had his skull broken. Vengeance aimed at that guilty head which had worn the usurped crown. 3. That the stone was cast upon him by a woman, Jdg 9:53. He saw the stone come; it was therefore strange he did not avoid it, but, no doubt, this made it so much the greater mortification to him to see from what hand it came. Sisera died by a woman's hand and knew it not; but Abimelech not only fell by the hand of a woman but knew it, and, when he found himself ready to breathe his last, nothing troubled him so much as this, that it should be said, A woman slew him. See, (1.) His foolish pride, in laying so much to heart this little circumstance of his disgrace. Here was no care taken about his precious soul, no concern what would become of that, no prayer to God for his mercy; but very solicitous he is to patch up his shattered credit, when there is no patching his shattered skull. "O let it never be said that such a mighty man as Abimelech was killed by a woman!" The man was dying, but his pride was alive and strong, and the same vain-glorious humour that had governed him all along appears now at last. Qualis vita, finis ita - As was his life, such was his death. As God punished his cruelty by the manner of his death, so he punished his pride by the instrument of it. (2.) His foolish project to avoid this disgrace; nothing could be more ridiculous; his own servant must run him through, not to rid him the sooner out of his pain, but that men say not, A woman slew him. Could he think that this would conceal what the woman had done, and not rather proclaim it the more? Nay, it added to the infamy of his death, for hereby he became a self-murderer. Better have it said, A woman slew him, than that it should be said, His servant slew him by his own order; yet now both will be said of him to his everlasting reproach. And it is observable that this very thing which Abimelech was in such care to conceal appears to have been more particularly remembered by posterity than most passages of his history; for Joab speaks of it as that which he expected David would reproach him with, for coming so nigh the wall, Sa2 11:21. The ignominy we seek to avoid by sin we do but perpetuate the remembrance of.
III. The issue of all is that Abimelech being slain, 1. Israel's peace was restored, and an end was put to this civil war; for those that followed him departed every man to his place, Jdg 9:55. 2. God's justice was glorified (Jdg 9:56, Jdg 9:57): Thus God punished the wickedness of Abimelech, and of the men of Shechem, and fulfilled Jotham's curse, for it was not a curse causeless. Thus he preserved the honour of his government, and gave warning to all ages to expect blood for blood. The Lord is known by the judgments which he executes, when the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Though wickedness may prosper awhile, it will not prosper always.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 50–57. Public domain.
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SUMMARY
Judges 9:54 vividly portrays the final, ignominious moments of Abimelech, the self-proclaimed king of Shechem. Mortally wounded by a millstone dropped by a woman during his siege of Thebez, Abimelech, consumed by pride and the ancient Near Eastern warrior code of honor, desperately commands his young armor-bearer to deliver the fatal blow. His primary motivation is to avoid the ultimate disgrace of being remembered as having been killed by a woman, a fate he deemed more shameful than death itself. This verse marks the climactic fulfillment of Jotham's prophetic curse against Abimelech and the men of Shechem, underscoring the certainty of divine retribution for his tyrannical rule and murderous actions.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The narrative of Abimelech's death is rich with literary devices that amplify its theological and moral impact. Irony is prominent, as Abimelech, who ruthlessly seized power through murder, meets his end in a humiliating manner, not by a mighty warrior but by an anonymous woman and then by his own command to avoid shame. His attempt to control his death ironically underscores the very disgrace he sought to avoid, as the true circumstances of his wounding are clearly recorded for posterity. There is also strong Poetic Justice at play; Abimelech, who shed much innocent blood and acted with fire and violence (burning the tower of Shechem), is himself brought down by an unexpected, seemingly insignificant act (a millstone from a woman) and ultimately perishes by the sword, fulfilling the principle of reaping what one sows. The Symbolism of the millstone is also significant; it is a common, domestic item, not a weapon of war, making its use against a powerful king particularly demeaning and highlighting the unexpected ways God's judgment can be enacted. Finally, the entire account serves as a Foreshadowing and fulfillment of Jotham's earlier curse, where "fire" (destruction) would come from Abimelech and consume Shechem, and "fire" (destruction) would come from Shechem and consume Abimelech.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Judges 9:54 powerfully illustrates the unwavering nature of divine justice and the ultimate futility of human pride and ambition when set against God's sovereign will. Abimelech's desperate attempt to control his narrative even in death reveals a heart consumed by self-glory rather than repentance or recognition of divine judgment. His concern for human opinion over God's righteous decree serves as a stark warning about the destructive path of unchecked ego. The narrative demonstrates that while evil may seem to triumph for a season, God's moral order will ultimately prevail, ensuring that the wicked receive their just recompense. This is not merely a tale of human consequence but a demonstration of God's active involvement in the affairs of humanity, upholding justice and fulfilling prophetic declarations.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Abimelech's final moments offer profound lessons for contemporary believers. His desperate concern for his reputation, even in the face of death, serves as a powerful reminder of the destructive nature of pride and the deceptive allure of human honor. In a world often obsessed with image and public perception, Abimelech's story challenges us to consider whose approval we truly seek: God's or man's. True honor, from a biblical perspective, is found not in avoiding shame or controlling narratives, but in humility, righteousness, and obedience to God. Furthermore, Abimelech's demise reinforces the certainty of divine justice. While the wicked may prosper for a time, God's ultimate judgment is sure. This should instill both a healthy fear of God and a confident trust that He will ultimately right all wrongs, even if His timing differs from ours. Our focus should be on living righteously and humbly before God, rather than striving for fleeting earthly glory.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was being killed by a woman considered such a profound disgrace in Abimelech's culture?
Answer: In the patriarchal societies of the ancient Near East, a warrior's honor was inextricably linked to his masculine strength, prowess, and dominance in battle. To be defeated, and especially killed, by a woman was seen as the ultimate humiliation because it implied a complete lack of strength and a failure to uphold the expected standards of male leadership and warfare. It would signify that the warrior was so weak or ineffective that even a woman, typically not involved in direct combat, could overcome him. This cultural norm is starkly contrasted with the divinely orchestrated victory of Jael over Sisera in Judges 4, "Jael and Sisera", where a woman's act of slaying an enemy general was celebrated as a sign of God's power working through unexpected means, further highlighting the specific shame intended for Abimelech.
How does Abimelech's death fulfill Jotham's curse from Judges 9:20?
Answer: Jotham's curse declared, "Let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out from the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo and devour Abimelech!" This curse is fulfilled with striking poetic justice. Abimelech, acting as "fire," ruthlessly attacked and burned the tower of Shechem, killing a thousand people (Judges 9:49, "Abimelech Burns the Tower of Shechem"). In turn, the "fire" (destruction) from the citizens of Shechem (symbolically represented by the woman from Thebez, a city allied with Shechem against Abimelech, and the general rebellion) "devoured" Abimelech. The millstone thrown by the woman, though not literal fire, initiated his fatal wound, leading to his ignominious death. This reciprocal destruction demonstrates God's precise and just repayment for the wickedness of both Abimelech and the people of Shechem who supported his murderous rise to power, as explicitly stated in Judges 9:56-57, "God Repaid Abimelech's Evil".
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Abimelech's desperate attempt to preserve his honor through a manipulated death stands in stark contrast to the ultimate self-giving sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Abimelech, driven by pride and a fear of human shame, chose a death that he believed would salvage his reputation. Yet, his end was one of ignominy and divine judgment for his sin. Conversely, Jesus, though innocent and divine, willingly embraced the most shameful and cursed form of death known to the ancient world: crucifixion. He did not seek to avoid public humiliation but endured it fully, becoming a "curse for us" (Galatians 3:13, "Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse") and bearing the shame of the cross for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2, "Looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of Our Faith"). While Abimelech died to save his own perceived honor, Christ died to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29, "Jesus, the Lamb of God") and to reconcile humanity to God, offering true honor and eternal life to all who believe. His death, though outwardly humiliating, was the ultimate act of obedience and love, triumphing over sin, death, and shame, and securing a glorious victory that Abimelech, in his self-centered ambition, could never comprehend.